Veronica plant named ‘Florverblue’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Veronica  plant named ‘Florverblue’, characterized by its violet-blue colored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, upright-mounded growth habit, is disclosed.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Veronica austriaca.

Variety denomination: ‘Florverblue’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Veronicaplant botanically known as Veronica austriaca and hereinafter referredto by the cultivar name ‘Florverblue’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program inQuedlinburg, Germany, during the summer of 2007. The objective of thebreeding program was the development of Veronica cultivars withattractive flower coloration and a moderately vigorous, upright-moundedgrowth habit.

The new Veronica cultivar was the result of a self-pollination ofVeronica austriaca ‘Knallblau’, not patented, characterized by itsmedium blue-colored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, and vigorous,upright growth habit. The new cultivar was discovered and selected as asingle flowering plant within the progeny of the above statedself-pollination during May 2008 in a controlled environment inQuedlinburg, Germany.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings sinceMay 2008 in Quedlinburg, Germany and Elburn, Ill. has demonstrated thatthe new cultivar reproduces true to type with all of thecharacteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained throughsuccessive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedlyobserved and can be used to distinguish ‘Florverblue’ as a new anddistinct cultivar of Veronica plant:

-   -   1. Violet-blue colored flowers;    -   2. Medium green-colored foliage; and    -   3. Moderately vigorous, upright-mounded growth habit.

Of the many commercially available Veronica cultivars, the most similarin comparison to the new cultivar is the parent ‘Knallblau’, notpatented. However, in side by side comparisons, plants of the newcultivar differ from plants of ‘Knallblau’ in at least the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar have deeper blue-colored flowers        than plants of ‘Knallblau’; and    -   2. Plants of the new cultivar are less vigorous and more mounded        than plants of ‘Knallblau’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typicalflower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in thephotographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detaileddescription, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Florverblue’. Theplants were grown in one-gallon containers for 16 weeks utilizing asoilless growth medium and then transplanted in the field for one week.Plants were pinched two weeks after transplant into the container.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habitof ‘Florverblue’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of the inflorescences of‘Florverblue’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype mayvary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature,light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance ingenotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is TheR.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England,2007 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significanceare used. The color values were determined in June 2014 under naturallight conditions in West Chicago, Ill.

The following descriptions and measurements describe plants producedfrom cuttings from stock plants and grown in a glass-covered greenhouseunder conditions comparable to those used in commercial practice. Theplants were grown in Elburn, Ill. in one-gallon containers for 16 weeksutilizing a soilless growth medium and then transplanted in the fieldfor one week. Plants were pinched two weeks after transplant into thecontainer. Greenhouse temperatures were maintained at approximately 45°F. to 65° F. (7.2° C. to 18.3° C.) during the day and approximately 35°F. to 45° F. (1.7° C. to 7.2° C.) during the night. No supplementallighting was provided. Measurements and numerical values representaverages of typical plants.

-   Botanical classification: Veronica austriaca cultivar Florverblue.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female and male parent.—Veronica austriaca ‘Knallblau’, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem.        -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 10 to 12 days.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 4 to 5            weeks.        -   Root description.—Fibrous.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Commercial crop time.—Approximately 16 to 18 weeks from a            rooted cutting to finish in a 15 cm pot. During this period,            at least 5 weeks below 45° F. during the night is required            to initiate flowering.        -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Moderately vigorous,            upright-mounded.        -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:            Approximately 26.0 cm. Width: Approximately 30.0 cm.        -   Branching habit.—Freely branching, pinching enhances basal            branching. Quantity of main branches per plant:            Approximately 6.        -   Branch.—Strength: Moderate. Branch height to bottom on            inflorescence: Approximately 15.0 cm. Diameter:            Approximately 3.0 mm. Length of central internode:            Approximately 2.5 cm. Texture: Densely pubescent with            appressed and curled hairs. Color of young and mature stem:            147C.-   Foliage description:    -   -   General description.—Quantity of leaves per main branch:            Approximately 12. Fragrance: None detected. Form: Simple.            Arrangement on flowering stem: Opposite.        -   Leaves.—Aspect: Perpendicular to stem. Shape: Ovate. Margin:            Serrate. Apex: Broadly accute. Base: Rounded, sessile.            Venation pattern: Pinnate. Length of mature leaf:            Approximately 3.0 cm. Width of mature leaf: Approximately            2.2 cm. Texture of upper surface: Sparsely pubescent with            appressed hairs. Texture of lower surface: Densely pubescent            with appressed and curled hairs. Color of upper surface of            young and mature foliage: 137A. Color of lower surface of            young and mature foliage: Closest to 137B. Venation of upper            and lower surface: 147C.-   Flowering description:    -   -   Flowering habit.—‘Florverblue’ flowers during early spring            to late spring under outdoor conditions.        -   Lastingness of individual flower on the plant.—Approximately            7 days.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   General description.—Type: Terminal raceme, self-cleaning.            Fragrance: Faint. Height: Approximately 10.0 cm. Width:            Approximately 4.0 cm. Quantity per plant: Approximately 7.        -   Peduncle.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect. Length:            Approximately 3.5 cm. Diameter: Approximately 2.0 mm.            Texture: Densely pubescent with appressed and curled hairs.            Color: 147B.-   Flower description:    -   -   General description.—Type: Single, campanulate. Aspect:            Outward. Quantity per inflorescence: Approximately 9.        -   Bud.—Rate of opening: Generally takes 3 to 4 days for bud to            progress from first color to fully open flower. Quantity per            inflorescence: Approximately 7.        -   Bud just before opening.—Shape: Oblong. Length:            Approximately 4.0 mm. Diameter: Approximately 2.0 mm.            Texture: Glabrous. Color: 94A.        -   Corolla.—Height: Approximately 7.0 mm. Diameter:            Approximately 1.3 cm.        -   Petals.—Quantity: 4, in a single whorl. Appearance: Dull.            Shape: Elliptic. Margin: Entire. Apex: Broadly acute. Base:            Cuneate, lower 1.0 mm fused. Length: Approximately 5.0 mm to            6.0 mm on a single flower. Width: Approximately 4.0 mm to            6.0 mm on a single flower. Texture of upper and lower            surfaces: Glabrous. Color of upper surface when first open:            94A with NN155D at tube opening. Color of lower surface when            first and fully open: 94B with NN155D at base. Color of            upper surface when fully open: Between 94A and 94B with            venation of 94A and NN155D at tube opening. Tube length:            Approximately 1.0 mm. Tube opening: Approximately 1.0 mm.            Color of whiskers surrounding tube opening: NN155D.        -   Caylx.—Diameter: Approximately 3.0 mm.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: 4. Shape: Lanceolate, fused at            base. Apex: Acute. Length: Two larger sepals approximately            4.0 mm and two smaller sepals approximately 2.0 mm. Width:            Two larger sepals approximately 2.0 mm and two smaller            sepals approximately 1.0 mm. Texture of upper surface:            Glabrous. Texture of lower surface: Moderately pubescent            with appressed hairs. Color of upper and lower surfaces:            137A.        -   Pedicel.—Strength: Strong, flexible. Aspect: Approximately            45° angle from vertical. Length: Approximately 2.0 mm.            Diameter: Approximately 0.5 mm. Texture: Densely pubescent            with appressed and curled hairs. Color: 147B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity: 2 per            flower. Stamen length: Approximately 6.0 mm. Filament color:            NN155D with an overlay of 94B on upper half. Anther shape:            Sagittate, dorsifixed. Anther length: Approximately 1.0 mm.            Anther color: 93B. Pollen amount: Sparse. Pollen color:            155D. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity: 1 per flower. Pistil            length: Approximately 6.0 mm. Stigma shape: Clavate. Stigma            length: Less than 1.0 mm. Stigma color: 160B. Style length:            Approximately 6.0 mm. Style color: 93B. Ovary diameter:            Approximately 1.0 mm. Ovary color: 144A.-   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has    been observed.-   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests    common to Veronica has not been observed.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Veronica plant named ‘Florverblue’, substantially as herein illustrated and described. 